May 5th: The newly-formed Coker Men's Ensemble to present its first concert

The newly-formed Coker Men's Ensemble will present its first public concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5 in the Recital Hall of the Music Building. 

“The men of the ensemble have been working hard this semester to see if we could accomplish our goal of singing our first stand-alone concert since the formation of the choir only eight months ago,” said William Carswell, the choir’s director and Chair of the Department of Dance, Music and Theater.  “Every member of the group has made great strides in his singing and musicianship in order to build ensemble among one another.  They have a great attitude during the rehearsal process so it has been fun putting this program together.”                             

                                               

Some of the pieces to be performed are “Ave Maria” by Franz Biebl, the traditional spiritual “Sinner Man,” a Hawaiian groove version of “Over the Rainbow,” Jerry Levinson's “Darkness on the Delta,” “He Never Failed Me Yet” by Robert Ray, the folk hymn “Wondrous Love” and “Sanctus” by Franz Schubert.

The musicians in the Coker Men’s Ensemble include Christopher Moore, Edgefield, S.C., Joshua Hopkins, Hartsville, S.C., Ty Rogers, Greenville, S.C., Jordan Davenport, Redondo Beach, Calif., Estebon Middleton, St. Helena, S.C., and Robbie Gainey, Chesterfield, S.C.

The concert will also feature a guest trio by Dustin Moree, Darlington, S.C., Albert Ridgill, Hartsville, S.C., and Kevin McCormick, Rock Hill, S.C. 

Coker College offers performing arts students a major in music with concentrations in voice, piano and musical theater, a major in theater with concentrations in performance or technical theater, and a major in dance with concentrations in performance/choreography and movement analysis/therapies. Performing arts students study and perform in the Elizabeth Boatwright Coker Performing Arts Center, which includes the Watson Theater that seats 466, has a proscenium stage, an orchestra shell, computerized lighting and state-of-the-art acoustics, and the versatile 80-seat Black Box Theater.

For more information about music programs at Coker College, contact Carswell at 843-383-8063 or wcarswell@coker.edu.